Playing Poker with the Outcasts

Dear Annie: I am a gambler that once resided in the small western town of Poker Flat. I say I once resided there because, a little over a week ago, myself and several other "improper persons" as we have been called were banished from Poker Flat. Each one us, for which there where four, where banished because of our "activities." I am a gambler (and a good one too), The Duchess is a younger promiscuous woman, Mother Shipton has been described as the town bitty, and Uncle Billy is a suspected sluice-robber, but a confirmed drunkard. Because of how we lived our lives, the town had a change in its moral atmosphere and subsequently banished us. The last the town has seen of us we where riding mules toward the camp of Sandy Bar, on the other side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

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Once reaching the heart of the mountains, us outcasts ran into a young couple eloping to Poker Flat. There names, Tom Simson and Piney Woods. At this point, all six of us decided to spend the night in a dilapidated cabin off to the side of the trail. We started a fire and went to sleep. However, when I woke up, I found Uncle Billy gone along with our mules, and it was snowing. It snowed so deep that those of us left could not venture far from the cabin. Luckily we stored the supplies inside the cabin with us.

Its been over a week since that incident occurred, and the snow will not relent to let us continue on. Mother Shipton has died, starving herself in order that Piney may have enough food to survive. She took good care of Piney while she was alive. Since Mother Shipton's death, The Duchess has taken up the role of looking after and caring for her (she was doing some of this before Mother Shipton's death). Tom is the member of the group staying eternally optimistic that our circumstance will turn around for the better. He is always telling me (much to my annoyance) that, "the snow'll melt and we will be back together." For this reason we call him "The Innocent." As for me, I keep going over in my mind every scenario, every possibility in order that I may think of something that will help us. I don't want what happened to that Donner party a few years ago to happen to us.

That's my story, and the story of my fellow "outcasts." I have been wondering throughout this entire ordeal if this situation we are in is because of who we are, what we have done. Are we being punished? Could Poker Flat be right about us? Why does this have to happen to those young like Piney? At the time of this writing I have dispatched Tom (The Innocent) to go get help. Annie, do have incite as to why this is happening to us? Has this ordeal changed us? Is there any way to survive this? We could all use your advice before we freeze to death!

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-- Outcast of Poker Flat

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Dear Outcast: It is obvious through your letter that much has happened to you and your fellow "outcasts" over the past week. However, after reading your words I have come to several conclusions about you and your group.

I do not believe that your group being in this position is any way a "punishment." You are in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Large snowstorms are rather
common there, and judging by how much snow you are encountering I would guess you wrote this letter in either November or December. It is sad that a young person, such as Piney, has to be stuck in the middle of this ordeal, but nature rarely discriminates.

From what I can tell, the personal
character of you, Mother Shipton, and The Duchess have undergone a great transformation. Most likely though, the undesirable outward traits of each of your personalities have been replaced by your true characters and compassion for others. Mother Shipton is the perfect example; once the town bitty, she took to caring for, and even giving her life for Piney. The Duchess has also discarded her undesirable traits in order to also help care for Piney. I would not consider these people "improper persons" as they have been called. Rather, I think they where lost souls looking for a purpose, and now they have found it. Also, I think you sir have found a natural skill to lead, and to help bring out the best in those around you, even in the worst situations. You are levelheaded, have a realistic and logical point of view, and you are always trying to find a way to help the others. For these reasons I believe that Poker Flat was wrong for banishing the three of you. You all do what must be done for those lesser than you, which tells me all your hearts are in the right place. Uncle Billy on the other-hand is a different story, one we will save for a later time.

As for surviving your predicament, hold on! Help will come even if it takes some time for it to reach you. Keep a fire burning if possible; the heat will warm your bodies and prevent freezing. Continue to ration what food you have left, and never lose hope that you will be rescued. It would be a shame if you or someone in your group where found frozen, or had committed suicide because you struck a streak of bad luck.

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Notes

• I read "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" online by Page by Page Books. Here is the link to the first page of this short story: 
• http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Bret_Harte/The_Outcasts_Of_Poker_Flat/The_Outcasts_Of_Poker_Flat_p1.html

• Also, "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" was made into two movies; one in 1937 and the other in 1952. For more information about these movies, visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) and type "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" into the search bar. The link for the main website page is provided below.
• http://www.imdb.com/

• The card hand in the bottom photo is known as a "Royal Flush" in poker. It is the highest hand in the game. 

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Works Cited

"Annie's Mailbox." Arcamax Publishings. Arcamax.com, 2016. Web. 4 Mar. 2016.

Harte, Bret. "The Outcasts of Poker Flat." Page by Page Books. n.d. 15 Mar. 2016.

IMDb. Amazon.com, 2016. Web. 15 Mar. 2016. 

Siemens, Beth. Personal Interview. 21 Jan. 2016